Death Wish 1
On Sunday 4th July I made an end-of-meeting statement that might have confused some and concerned others. I had just listened to one of the in finest in-your-face sermons I had ever heard by Paul James from Yate, where he is senior minister of a fast growing Church. He finished his sermon with tears rolling down his face, and I was on the verge of involuntarily copying that, for it moved me to a sensitive understanding of how the resurrection of Christ affects our whole dimension of living.

26 years ago I came to London to be the associate at Kensington Temple, and 2 years later I was asked to become a visiting lecturer at Regents Theological College, Elim's College at Nantwich Cheshire. I was to speak on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, for I had retired early as a senior lecturer at 50 and liked speaking to students.

My only concern was that I would be the only lecturer who didn't have a theological degree and who had never been to Bible College. That was somewhat daunting.

It was to be an insert in a set degree programme which meant it was voluntary attendance and no examination would be set for the subject. This meant that attendance could be sporadic. However my first day saw a full class that maintained as the weeks passed. It became clear that I had some ability to connect with the students. It was obvious that I didn't know all there was to know about the subject [who does] but I found myself satisfying hungry young men and women who wanted to know about God, how to live extraordinary lives in a disordered and fractured society and above all how build a church. Most of them were training to be a minister.

The time became fascinating and joyful; lots of laughter rang out and the students always left smiling and we met up again in the on-site restaurant, and shared our hearts. At that time I met Paul James he was 29 years old and I was 52; a large gap, but we instantly related. Later he was assigned to my church for six weeks for initial training after study, and he came in like a breath of fresh air all action and effort, and I let him speak for five of those weeks. I sat and listened and watched, and knew without any doubt here was man who would go far with God. It was undeniable that he had an anointing that was special.

Over the years it has been my pleasure to invite him as often as he could come to HICC and our preaching programme would allow. He has now matured into a sharp threshing instrument for God, reaping a rich harvest and reaching into the hearts and lives of many people. When speaking for him in Yate last year we had a Saturday night meal together and I asked him at that time to officiate at our [my wife as well] funerals.

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